Snoring or sleep apnea is caused by the condition where the tongue relaxes and contributes to blocking of the air passageway in the pharynx or lingual compartment. Further, the loose tissue within the mouth cavity including the tongue, the pharyngeal folds, the soft palate, the muscularis uvulae and the palate-pharyngeal arch tend to vibrate as tidal air flows past during sleep which also causes snoring.
Anti-snoring devices are effective when they protract (pull or hold) the mandible (lower jaw) forward and upward and elevate the tongue, so that the tongue does not occlude the air passageway drifting inferiorly and posteriorly while sleeping. Most anti-snoring devices accomplish this aforementioned task by holding the lower jaw forward against a rigid dental component which is fixed to the upper teeth or to the upper and lower teeth. These anti-snoring devices fix the dental component from falling out of the mouth by clasping or biting of the user's teeth into the dental component and by close adaptation to the user's teeth. The primary disadvantages in using the above prior art devices, is that they require professional lab services for fitting of the anti-snoring device to the user's mouth. Such devices could cause irreversible changes in the bite of the user or permanently alter the jaw position of the user unless the anti-snoring device fitting is closely supervised by a dentist.
There is a need for an anti-snoring device that does not rigidly bind to the dental structures of the user's mouth and does not require professional supervision or assistance in its fabrication. In addition, the anti-snoring device should not pit the lower jaw against the upper jaw and should not alter the bite of the user. Further, an external oral shield should be used to hold the lower jaw from drifting inferiorly and posteriorly during is: sleep. The oral shield should be adjustable by the user, such that the device can be adjusted to fit various jaw sizes and bite relationships. Also, the device should include an intra oral dental overlay to support the tongue against the palate and keep the palate of the user's mouth from reverberating during mouth breathing.